It's Saturday morning and my hubby had just dumped the entire junk draw on the table to try to find something. Look at this mess..no wonder we can never find anything in that drawer! All the sudden we hear the a knock on the door. I open the door and there is Mr. FedEx himself with my Rubbermaid Drawer Organizer in his hand (insert superhero music here)!!!

Hubby then insert the drawer organizer into the door and went to work finding a proper spot to store each item. As you can see here, the drawer does not go all the way to the back of the drawer. Leaving you some room for a few more things in back, yet these items would still have a space to be contained in.

Here is what my wonderful Hubby came up with! (Insert super hero music again, cause I know he would love that!)Now all these little odds and ends have a spot and are contained, which is helping to keep this drawer from being a complete hurricane of a mess. I have an assortment of little plastic bags that seal to try to help.....it failed! Whenever someone would take something out to the bag they would leave it unsealed and then they would just throw into the drawer and not return it to the proper bag. Yes, I am also guilty of this!

It has been over a week now, and my drawer still looks nice and organized.....Whew! That sure beats the 1/2 hour it would stay clean when I try to just organize it and put everything back in on my own. This interlocking system by RUBBERMAID is so versatile, you can set it up any way you like.

Please tell me I am not alone.....you all have these kind of drawers in your house too, right?

Well if you do, then your in luck! RUBBERMAID is giving on drawer organizing system away to one of you as well! YAHOO, gotta love that!

Deadline to enter: March 15th, 2010 at NOON!Open to entries from the US & Canada!

Ways to enter:Remember you get a separate entry for each item you complete!

1.What area in your house needs organized the most?

2. Become a follower of the Gaertegang!

3. Subscribe to the Gaertegang!

4. Follow Gaertegang on Twitter!

5. Blog about this giveaway...and leave me your link!

6. Tell your Facebook friends!

7. Tweet about the giveaway....you get an entry each time you tweet..daily if you wish!

Friday, February 26, 2010

Happy Friday!! Here at The Gaertegang I am gearing up for the annual Women's Retreat at my church. I am excited and looking forward to having a great time with all the ladies. We have our school work done for the day, so the boys are enjoying some computer time!! Brrr! I am over all this cold weather, bring on the WARM weather please!!! I just wanted to let you all know that THE GAERTEGANG is going to be rolling out a TON of giveaways in the month of MARCH!! Be sure to check in each day with us.....you won't want to miss any of the goodies I have lined up for you all!!!

Speaking of giveaways, have you all got entered in the current two giveaways I have going? If not scoot on over and do that now!!! Deadline for entries is approaching fast!

In case you need reminded on how to leave a comment so you can enter here is a step by step:

*At the botton of this post you should see "Post A Comment" (Scroll down past everyone else's comments)* Write in your entry. Be sure to include your email at the bottom of each entry if you are NOT a blogger!*If you are NOT a blogger, then look below the comment box where it says "comment as". Click on Anonymous. *Click on preview.*Then click on Post comment!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

After a long dry period with no sewing I have been excited to work on a few projects lately. You already saw the little blanket that I made for Julia last month. This month, I started this little lap quilt kind of by accident. I was looking through my fabric and already had a project in mind. I saw my bag with scraps in it and decided to take a quick glance through it. I found several square of fabrics that were left over from a previous quilt I had made Lance years ago. It was then I realized that I could keep my project I had in mind for later and make a little lap quilt for Zach instead.
I laid the scrap squares on my bed and then I found wide strips of fabric I could use for border. I trimmed the square to 6 1/2" (which will give me 6' finished squares) and starting piecing them all together. So far I have completed the top and pressed it all nice and flat. I have to decided for sure what I want to do for the border. I have thought about several different options but haven't yet nailed down what I will do. I was excited that on Tuesday night I was able to start attending a quilt club in my county again. I had been before probably 3 years ago, then I had another baby and not time to commit to it again...you know that goes. Now I have no babies in the house again and want to start going again. It is always a great time of inspiration and learning.I promise to show you my finished project in the next couple weeks.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

I was given the opportunity to review this unit study for Whole Word Publishing for free. Thank You to Debbie for asking me to tell her what I think.

The Whole Word Publishing by Debbie Martin has created a delightful unit study on butterflies. The butterfly bundle includes 247 pages of detailed information on butterflies. In this package your children will learn:

Types Of Butterflies
Life Cycle Of A Butterfly
The Chrysalis
Difference Between Butterflies And Moths and the Types Of Moths
Glass Winged Butterfly
Migration Of The Butterfly
Making A Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Journal as well as Writing Pages
Parts Of A Butterfly Including Their Eyes And Wings
Clip Art and Pictures to print out for journaling
Coloring Pages
Caterpillar, Butterfly And Flower Mini Books

This bundle was downloaded onto my computer and then the boys and I went through it together page by page. The boys really liked the beautiful butterflies, charts, and maps. We also went to the library and picked up about a dozen books on butterflies and went through parts of those as well. We found that this bundle really contained all the information we needed to know and that the books repeated the same information we had already read.

I would recommend this bundle to anyone looking to beat the winter blues. This unit study got us all exited to plant our own butterfly garden. We can't wait to feel the warm sunshine on our faces while we go butterfly watching.Another great reason to recommend this study.....the price!
Regular price $28 on sale now for $2.50 which is 91% savings!!!

Whole Word Publishing products are sold exclusively with Currclick. Be sure to check out all the great materials they have to offer. Most all of them that I saw, are budget friendly and would be worth you time to check them out.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

For those of you who don't know this is Caleb's nickname...although when people ask him his name, he says "Cubbie"...smile

A few things about Caleb you should know....He LOVES animals! His cats are so dear to him..He loves to bring them in on the tile by the door and pet them.

He LOVES reading. Amelia Bedila books are his favorite right now.

He LOVES wrestling with anyone...whenever he gets the chance. He is in the red wrestling Julia, yep she is a willing participate in the madness as well.

Dear Caleb,

Happy Birthday Sweetheart. I can't even believe that you are already 7 yrs old. I am so proud of you and how much you have matured in the last year. I seen you grow in many areas, you faith, self control, and compassion for others. I look forward to see how the Lord will grow you even more in the years to come. I am very thankful for the help you are to me and your positive attitude each day with your school work. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH and hope you have a very special day today.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

CSNstores sent me this beauty to review, which caused me to squeal with excitement!!

I have two stoneware pizza pans that I have purchased from Pampered Chef,which I LOVE. I was anxious to try out this baking dish to compare them. If any of you have stoneware you can testify to how well it bakes things all the way through (with no flipping).

Well this stoneware sold by Cookware.com (one of the many stores of CSNstores) did not disappoint!

I have used it several times already and I am tickled pink with the results.

Another great perk, the price! This stoneware pan sells for $19.95 which I think is a great buy! Also available is a muffin pan and loaf pan.
Not only is this piece very functional for my kitchen, but the finish on it is gorgeous too.

I would give this product an A+ on quality, function, and style!

Thank you to CSNstores for being so generous and sending me one free to review!

They are so awesome they even gave me one to give away to one of YOU!

This giveaway is open to US or Canadian followers!!

Entry deadline is March 5th, 2010 at NOON.

Ways to enter: Remember you are able to get a seperate entry for each item you do!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Tomato Stakes are really superior to everything else on the market. So simple to use, reasonably priced, and stronger/better than wooden stakes, bamboo, or metal cages. They are made of a very durable plastic and can be left outdoors and used season to season. They will not rot like wood stakes or rust like cages.

This product was developed by an avid backyard gardener and tomato lover who was unsatisfied with buying tomato supports every year. After much research with agricultural experts and many visits to commercial tomato farms, The Tomato Stake was born!

Using the Tomato Stake is Easy!

Step 1Insert the Tomato Stake into the soil when your plants are still small.
Place as close to the main stem as possible, careful not to damage the roots.Step 2

Using a hammer, pound the Tomato Stake into the soil, approx 6 inches deep or until rigid.

Step 3Wrap the Twistie-ties around the main stem. Wrap loosely and allow for an inch of growth.
Continue tying the plant to the stake as it grows!So do you want to win a 3 pack of Tomato Stakes?

Open to US residents only! DEADLINE: Noon on March 2nd

Ways to enter: Remember you get a seperate entry for each item you do!

1. MANDATORY! Tell me what you currently use for staking your tomatoes.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Just a heads up to any of you Goodwill bargain hunters....this Friday Feb.19th and Sat. Feb. 20th are 50% off days for the Goodwill store in my area!! So just in case you were in need of something....or feel like digging through things to find a special treasure...either way you know what days to go!

Before traveling to Goodwill for this 50% off sale, it's always a good idea to call ahead to see if your store is participating!

It was so nice last week to take a normal detour from our morning schedule to spend some "girl time" together. Julia has always loved to have her nails painted...fingers...toes...it doesn't matter to her! I use the fan you can see in the pic to help dry her nails quickly, although she is usually pretty good about sitting still. So FUN having a little girl time to start our day!

Monday, February 15, 2010

We celebrated two birthdays this past weekend! My sil (Jess) and her hubby Tedd b-days are pretty close together so we got together to hang out, eat, and laugh a lot! Here Caleb and Jess posed for a cute pic.

All us girls posed for a pic real quick..probably not the best...but fun to do none the less. As you can see my little niece is growing like a weed!! (Sorry to my mil..she is gonna hate this pic of her.)

Sunday, February 14, 2010

We are having a great V-Day...relaxing and hanging out....hope you are too! Last night the kids got some goodies & cards to celebrate.

Yep, this is Lance looking totally wired and excited...this is all without a bite of candy yet.....ohhhh how little boys do not need any help being excitable!

Each of them got a fun activity book along with some pencils to occupy some of their time!

Such a cutie, my Zach is! He was so happy to be getting his own bag of stuff.

Well the little heart box of candy says it all....DRAMA.....such a funny girl my sweet Julia. She loved that the girl was wearing a crown..."like I have" she said. She was happy with the girl on the box...she didn't even know there was candy inside....BONUS!

Most of all I hope you have been able to enjoy YOUR FIRST LOVE, Jesus Christ, on this Valentine's Day. He loved us before we were even created. So much that He gave up His life for us. I can't think of a more Loving person to have in my life. Thank you Lord for your unconditional LOVE for me! If you have not experienced the LOVE of Christ in your own life it is my prayer that today, the day of love, you would seek Him out. Grab a hold of LOVE He so freely gives.

Friday, February 12, 2010

I was very excited when one of my boys came in with this package of mail! All my flower & veggie seeds arrived along with a few other goodies. The little metal contraption you see to the right is a popcorn removing gadget. I bought corn that is suppose to be used for making popcorn...and this little gadget slides down the cob of corn stripping the popcorn kernels off.....or so that is what it said it will do. Then I also bought a bag of seed starting soil. On the end is my very own strainer. My mom has one we always using for making our spaghetti juice, sauce, and salsa, but I thought it was high time I got my own as well. I am very excited because I will also be using this for making apple and pear sauce...can't wait!!

I have been doing research on starting my seeds indoors over the past weeks and thought I would share some helpful hints I have discovered.

**Prepare the containers. Clean with well-diluted bleach (nine parts water to one part bleach). Punch drainage holes in the bottom of your container and then line with a layer of newspaper.

**Fill containers. In addition to your seed starting soil you may want to add a layer of sand to promote drainage. Fill pots or flats to within 1/4 inch of the top with your potting mix and level the surface. !!!!!IMPORTANT!!! You need to make sure the soil you are using to start your seeds actually says "seed starting soil".....if the soil is all wrong for what our doing you'll be wasting your time and money. (This happened to me last year!)

**Sow your seeds. The easiest way to avoid mixing things up is to plant only one variety of seeds per container. Seeds should be covered to three times their diameter." Read the directions on the seed packet for specific planting instructions.

**Label each container with what seed you're planting, date planted, expected date (range) of germination. Also, mark a calendar with your plants germination dates, which will make planning easier.

**Water the soil well....do not over water it! You want the soil to be very moist, but not soggy.

**Cover seed trays with plastic wrap or place them inside a plastic bag. The idea behind covering the container is to keep moisture levels constant. Seeds are very sensitive to the amount of water they receive. Too much water or too little water will greatly effect your success rate. The seeds do not need watered until they germinate. Remove the cover once the seeds have germinated (sprout up) to prevent plant diseases, such as damping off.
**Warmth. Your seeds will germinate faster when they are placed somewhere warm. I used a little trick I read somewhere last and put a heating pad underneath my trays. This helps to warm the soil temp. No totally necessary, but it helps to move the process along.

**Sunlight. Your sprouts will want sun, or fake sun, if you have a south facing window place them in the sun for 10-12 hours a day. Unfortunately for me I have NO south facing windows...bummer!! So for my birthday this past year I asked for a grow light system. I ordered one that is 4 ft long and 4 bulbs wide!! Although a grow lamp is not required to start seeds, it does help to have a very controlled stable environment to ensure successful, strong, and healthy plants.

**As soon as your seedlings develop true leaves (usually the second set of leaves), it's time to give them more room.

**Thin them by trimming off the plant's leaves at soil level. You'll want to end up with one plant for every 1 to 2 inches. ***I saw on another article that using a little pair of scissors to thin plants is best so you do not disturb the roots.

**Hardening off. Be sure that if you start your own seeds, or if you buy from a greenhouse that you harden off your plants before putting them into the garden. Start when the weather is nice and sunny, placing your plants outside for small increments. Increase the time every few days. After a week, your plants should be ready for transplanting.

Just in case you get those plants into the garden, and then we have some surprise chilly nights. I keep around old bed sheets we no longer use (keep your eyes peeled once garage sales & auctions start if you don't have any) and cover my plants at night with them if cold weather is threatening to ruin all I have worked hard on. You could also use plastic tarps, or buckets for protection. Be sure to remove them in the morning so the plants don't get too hot during the warmth of the day.

Do you have any special hints you would like to pass on about starting seeds?

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Lance discovered that he can record his own vioce on his Mp3 player. He thinks this is super cool and the first thing he decided to do was record himself reading the four books he has written. I didn't even know it had this feature! I had did a little search not to long ago on FREE AUDIOBOOKS and found a site that offered a whole bunch of classics. We downloaded them this past weekend and now he is all about listening to them!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

This semester we have enrolled Lance & Caleb in Co-op Classes as a part of their schooling. They are both taking Chess as one of their classes. They are also taking P.E., Music, & Mental Math. We go to these classes once a week. The classes are taught by other homeschool parents, and take place at our church. We are their from 10:30-3p, which some little breaks between some of the classes. This allows us to get in our other school work for the day and have some great one on one time. My mother-in-law is keeping my youngest two so we can have a truly fun day without distractions.

We found an empty sunday school room where Caleb enjoyed playing with some building blocks while we waited for Lance to finish up his last class.

Monday, February 8, 2010

I am so exciting to tell you that I was notified by csn.stores.com to review an item in one of their 200+ stores! WOW!!!! How do you even pick...I'll tell you it was almost impossible to make a choice!!

Csn Stores offers so many options...besides checking out the kitchen, bedding, & baby items I hopped over to check out their bar stool selection.....ohhh warm weather I know your coming!

(Okay, so I realize it might be awhile.)
Stay tuned for my review of gorgeous stoneware and for your chance to WIN one!!!!!

Over at Leelou Blogs she is celebrating her birthday with some FREE DOWNLOADS.....I think these would be such a nice gift to your spouse, or grandparents. The only thing you would pay would be the cost of printing the photo....So under $1.00!! (print pics as 5X7 or 4X6)

If you like these super super cute templates that you can load you own pictures into you might want to go check out Just So Scrappy, she is the one who created them. She offers packages of template for as low as $1.50!!!! (If you go visit...thank her for the freebies!) Be sure to check out the other freebies she is offering right now!

The library reading program is still going on through the end of this month. We have making fun weekly trips...not joking they really have been fun. Which is a little funny to me, because I remember just a year ago that even the thought of going to the library made me stressed. Somehow chasing toddlers, and trying to keep them quiet while keeping a watch on the other two boys just didn't appeal to me. I guess this is one of he perks to the kids growing up.....more outings with me feeling like I need to take some type of medication following the ordeal. We have read 115 books so far between myself, Lance, and Caleb.....pretty good huh?

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Justin has helped out his old high school baseball the last couple years with a fund raiser. They have auctioned off old jersey's in order to raise money for new uniforms, new pitching machine, ect. We all got to go this year and enjoy a FREE chili super while Justin "did his thing."

After the auction was over we headed over to the high school and enjoyed a JV and Varsity Basketball game. As I sat their thinking, this is the first game I had been to since I had graduated....almost 12 years ago!! WOW...I hate to even say that out loud!! Here is a shot of the gang during the game....apparently Julia didn't eat enough chili because she was eating the program.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

I just thought I would check in and say hello! I haven't forgotten to blog...just nothing blog worthy lately with us. I have been working away at reading some good books, getting ready for the upcoming women's retreat at church, and schooling my boys! I did get an exciting email today from a gal about reviewing some REALLY CRAZY GOOD SOFTWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so pumped about that...we shall see if it all works out though. We did get some great news today about our REFUND on our taxes!! Exciting...and keeps us moving in the direction to meet our BIG Goal of mortgage payoff by December. Well that about sums it up for me this week so far. Thanks for checking in....come back soon!